Container and pouring spout



July- 10, 1934. H, BRUCKER 1,966,284

CONTAINER AND POURING SPOUT Filed Nov. 12. 1932 Z INVENYLOR.

ATTORNEY:

Patented July I0, 1934 UNITED STATES -ATEZNT QFEQE CONTAINER AND POURING SPOUT Application November 12, 1932, Serial No. 642,349

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to containers or receptacles, having a combined closure and pouring spout connected to one wall thereof for movement relative thereto so as to serve in one 5 position as a closure for a pouring opening in the container and in another position serve as a spout for pouring the contents of the container through said opening.

In many known combinations of pouring spouts or containers, the container is formed of tearable or flexible material such as thin card-board, and the pouring spout is of such construction and so combined. with the container that the spout can be pushed accidentally entirely through the pouring opening into the container due to tearing or collapsing of the material around the pouring opening under excessive pressure caused for example, by the contact or" one container with another while the containers are being transported or stacked, or by a blow on the spout or upon the container near the pouring opening during handling and distribution of the container by a store-keeper. When this occurs the contents of the container may be accidentally spilled and/or the pouring spout may become useless.

Also, many combinations of pouring spouts and containers heretofore proposed are complicated and expensive both in structure and in assembling of the container and the spout, while in the simpler and inexpensive structures, the pouring spout may be easily accidentally displaced or entirely disconnected from the container, ,and/ or the structures are short-lived.

One object of my present invention is to provide a container and pouring spout embodying novel and improved features of construction, whereby the possibility of damage .to the container or the spout by pressure upon the spout or the container adjacent the spout, during transportation or distribution of the container, shall be reduced to the minimum.

Another object is to provide such a container and pouring spout embodying novel and improved features of construction, whereby accidental displacement or disconnection of the spout from the container during both transportation and use, shall be practically impossible.

Certain combined containers and pouring spouts have been suggested to overcome the possibility of the container being accidentally torn around the pouring opening by pressure thereon and to prevent the spout from being pushed accidentally into the container, by connecting the spout to the inside of a wall of the container and cutting the container around the spout when it is desired to initially open the container, or by constructing the container and spout so that portions of the spout permanently overlie the container wall at all sides of the pouring opening, but such constructions are objectionable because (39 of diificulty in assembling the spout and container, or because the pouring opening must be made so small as to provide inadequate pouring capacity, or, if the opening is made larger the spout must be so large as to be impracticable.

Furthermore, generally some special provision must be made to prevent accidental opening of the spout, such as a piece of paper pasted upon the container over the spout, and such provisions are frequently unsatisfactory because the paper or other holding means may be accidentally damaged so as to permit the spout to open.

Accordingly, further objects are to provide a container and pouring spout of the character described wherein the pouring opening shall be of adequate and proper pouring capacity but only partially formed during manufacture of the container, and the spout shall be of such construction and so connected to the container that the container shall effectually resist pressure applied to 0 the spout or to the container adjacent the spout during transportation and distribution .of the container and prevent the container from being torn or damaged around the pouring opening and the spout from being pushed into the container through the pouring opening, the pouring opening to be completed by the initial movement of the spout into pouring position and the spout to serve thereafter in another position as a closure for the pouring opening; and to provide such a construction wherein the spout shall be positively held against accidental opening during transportation by positive connection of the spout directly to the wall of the container to obviate the necessity for pasting paper on the container over the spout or other similar expedients. Other objects are to provide such a container and pouring spout embodying novel and improved features of construction wherein the pouring opening shall be partially formed in such a manher during manufacture of the container and the spout shall be so constructed and connected to the container, that when the spout is moved initially into its open position the material of the container within the boundaries of the pouring opening shall be displaced to complete the pouring opening and form a tab integrally connected at one end to the container at one end of the pouring opening, and said spout shall be permanently connected to said tab so that the tab shall restrain the spout against disconnection from the container; to provide a container and spout of the character described which shall be simple, strong and durable in construction and which can be easily and quickly assembled; and to obtain other advantages and results as will be brought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding and like parts are designated throughout the several views by the same refer-- ence characters,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a container con structed in accordance with the invention and before the spout is applied.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the spout applied to the container.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the spout and container before the initial opening.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the manner of applying the spout to the container.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the spout opened.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the manner of opening the spout.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container before the application of the spout thereto.

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the manner in which the pouring opening is completed by tearing of the material of the container, and

Figure 10 is a detached perspective view of the spout.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character 1 designates a container of any desired form which has a pair of spaced and approximately parallel slits 2 formed in one wall thereof and partially outlining a pouring opening. Preferably the material of the wall of the container in which the slits are formed is tearable, for example, said wall may be formed of cardboard. Between the slits 2 and at one end thereof, the wall of the container is formed with an opening 3.

As shown, the slits 2 and opening 3 are preferably disposed in a side wall of the container adjacent one end thereof, although the slits and opening may be formed at any other desirable location in the container.

With the container cooperates a pouring spout 4 which may be formed of any suitable material but preferably consists of a single thin sheet of metal. The spout is shown as including a body portion 5 at one end of which is provided an integral tongue 6. The body portion 5 is of a size to overlie the portion of the wall of the container between the slits 2 and the opening 3, and in applying the spout to the container the tongue 6 is inserted through the opening 3. The spout 4 also has sector-shaped side wings '7 projecting approximately at right angles to the body portion 5 and having curved edges 8 approximately concentric with the tongue 6. In applying the spout to the container, one of these sector-shaped side wings '7 is inserted through each of the slits 2 as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, so as to frictionally engage the outer walls thereof. The body portion of the spout, at a point spaced from the tongue 6, is also positively connected to the wall of the container between said slits when the spout is initially applied to the container. This connection is shown in the drawing as consisting of a pointed prong 9 on the body of the spout which is forced through the material of the wall of the container and clinched over the inner side of said wall as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

With such a construction, combination and arrangement of the container and the spout, during manufacture thereof the spout is positively connected to the container on the outside thereof and overlies the slits 2, opening 3 and a portion of the wall between said slits and said opening and the pouring opening is only partially formed by the slits 2. The portion 10 of the wall of the container between the slits 2 and the opening 3 prevents the spout from being pushed into the container and also tends to prevent any injury to the container around the spout, for example from pressure or blows applied to the container around the spout or to the spout while the containers are being stacked or transported or handled by a storekeeper. Also, the spout is held against pulling out or away from the container, through the connection of the spout to the container by the tongue 6 and prong 9.

When it is desired to open the container to pour the contents therefrom, the end of the spout opposite the tongue 6 is forcibly pulled outwardly from the container as shown in Figure '7. This results in a tearing of the portion 10 of the material between the slits 2 so as to form a tab 100 which is integrally connected to the wall of the container at the end of the tab adjacent the tongue 6. In this manner the pouring opening 11 is completed as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9, and the spout is hingedly connected to the container so as to swing about the tongue 6 in the opening 3. In one position as shown in Figure 7, the spout is open so that the contents of the container may be poured through the pouring opening, while in another position when the spout lies flat upon the container, the pouring opening is closed by the spout. Accidental disconnection of the spout from the container is prevented, by the tongue 6 and the connection of the spout to the tab by the prong 9.

To limit swinging movement of the spout into open position I may provide any suitable means, for example, lugs or projections 12 on the outer sides of the side wings '7 to engage the inner side of the wall of the container adjacent the edges of the opening. Movement of the spout into the container through the pouring opening may be limited in the usual way by an extension 13 on the free end of the spout to abut against the Wall of the container at the corresponding end of the pouring opening.

It will be observed that the combined container and spout is simple and inexpensive in construction and that the spout can be easily and quickly applied to the container during manufacture. There is little danger of the spout being pushed into the container or the container being injured around the pouring opening during transportation and distribution of the container and spout, and accidental pulling of the spout out of the container during transportation and handling is effectually prevented by the prong 9 clinched directly in the material of the container.

It will also be observed that the pouring opening may be formed of adequate capacity and that the spout may be made of a convenient and practical size.

While I have shown and described the invention as embodied in certain details of construction, it should be understood that this is primarily for illustrating the principles of the invention and that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: l

1. The combination of a container having a pair of approximately parallel slits in a wall thereof and an opening between said slits adjacent one end thereof, and a pouring spout including a body to overlie the container between said slits and said opening and having a tongue at one end in said opening and overlying the inner side of said wall to hingedly connect the body to said wall, said body of the spout also having a prong adjacent the other end penetrating said wall and clinched over the inner side thereof, said body having sector-shaped side wings concentric with the point of hinging of the spout and each arranged in one of said slits to frictionally engage the outer wall thereof.

2. The combination of a container having a Wall of tearable material and a pair of approximately parallel slits therein, and a pouring spout overlying the exterior of said wall between said slits and hingedly connected at one end to the wall adjacent one end of said slits, said spout having side wings in said slits and being connected adjacent its other end to said wall between said slits adjacent the other end of the slits, so that upon forcible pulling of the secondmentioned end of said spout away from said body said wall will be torri between said slits to form a pouring opening and said spout will hingedly swing. to open and close said pouring opening.

3. The combination of a container having a wall of tearable material and a pair of approximately parallel slits therein, and a pouring spout overlying the exterior of said wall between said slits and hingedly connected at one end to the wall adjacent one end of said slits, said spout including side wings in said slits and having a prong adjacent its other end penetrating said wall and clinched over the inner side thereof between said slits and adjacent the other end of the slits, so that upon forcible pulling of the second-mentioned end of said spout away from said body said wall will be torn between said slits to form a pouring opening and said spout will hingedly swing to open and close said pouring opening.

4. The combination of a container having a wall of tearable material and slits partially outlining a pouring opening, and a pouring spout overlying the outside of said wall and connected to said wall and having wing portions in said slits so that upon forcible pulling of the spout away from the wall the latter will be torn between said slits to form a pouring opening and said spout will move relatively to said wall to open and close said pouring opening.

HENRY BRUCKER. 

